Flexible tube compressing device



Jan. 24, 1933. o. E. AUSTIN I 1,394,936

FLEXIBLE TUBE COMPRESSING DEVICE 4 Filed Feb. 2. 1931 INVENTOR DW/GHTEAUST/N ATTORNEY Patented Jam 24, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 5,: TUBE oomrnnssme nnvrcn Application filed February 2, 1931. Serial No. 512,818. 7

My present invention relates to a tube cmpressing device for extracting or forcingthe contents from flexible and collapsible tubu lar containers.

The objects of this invention are: First, to provide a device of this class whereby the contents of flexible and collapsible tubes, such as tubes of tooth paste, shaving cream, and the like, may be easily and quickly forced therefrom, even though the contents may have become partially hardened; second, to provide a device of this class whereby a colla psible tube may be tightly squeezed or compressed at the endopposite its opening for extracting or forcing substantially all of the contents from the tubular container; third, to provide a device of this class whereby the end of the tube from which the contents has been forced may be neatly rolled about an arbor; fourth, to provide a device of this class whereby the collapsible tube may be easily and quickly connected thereto preparatory to rolling up the one end of the tube; fifth, to provide a device of this class from which a rolled up and empty tube may be readily removed; sixth, to provide novel means for compressing the tube as the latter is being wound upon the arbor; and, seventh, to provide a very simple and economi cal device of this class," one which is durable, efficient, and-which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in View, as will appear hereinafter, I have devised a flex- 5 ible tube compressing device having certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 'l ris a perspective view of my de- 5 vice in its preferred form of construction,

arbor and providing substantially a'key hanshowing a collapsible tube partly collapsible and wound thereon; Fig. 2 is a side view thereof on an enlarged scale, separate and apart from the collapsible tube; and, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof taken through 3-3 of Fig. 2, but showing the tube in connection therewith.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the views of the drawing. 5

The flexible tube compressing device illustrated in the drawing consists preferably of four-parts, namely, a support 1, an arbor 2, a compressing shoe 3, and a spring 4. The support 1 is preferably made of sheet metal in U-shape, having a connecting portion la. and brackets 16 at the opposite ends of the connecting portion and extending therefrom at the same side. The brackets are provided. with relatively large holes 10 at the ends of the brackets, into and through which extends the arbor 2, the arbor being rotatably supported at substantially its opposite ends on the brackets.

The arbor 2 is preferably made of sheet metal in tubular form and is provided at one end with an. integral handle '5 which is a flattened metal portion extendingsubstan tially through the longitudinal axis of the 15 dle for rotating the arbor. The tubular portion. designated2a, of the arbor 1s provided with a longitudinal slot 2?) which extends from end to end of the tubular portion, or at least to and through the end of the tubular portion opposite the handle 5.

The brackets 11) are provided with longitudinal slots 1d which extend fromthe holes 10 to the connecting portion 1a. Between the arbor 2 and the connecting 'portion 1a is mounted a compressing shoe or member 3 which extends between the brackets 17) and is provided at its ends with lugs 3a which extend into the slots 10!. The portions of the shoe 3 at the opposite sides of the longitudinal median line are bent downwardly or toward the connecting portion 1a, as indicated by 36, between which and the-arbor. the tube is compressed. The compressing shoe 3 is normally urged against or toward the arbor 2 by the leaf spring 4 which is bowed, and

engages with the bowed portion on the inner side of the shoe. The ends of the spring areprovided with reduced portions or lugs 4a which also extend into and are guided by the slotted portions 1d of the brackets.

When desiring to attach the device to a full tube, the flattened-end thereof is inserted into the slot 2b,the handle or key 5 is then rotated in either direction as desired. When the cap arbor toward the connecting portion of the support, a shoe positioned between the 'connecting portion and the arbor and rovided is removed from the tubular container, the

contents will be forced from the opening and the flattened or empty portion of the tube will be wound upon the arbor 2. When the contents are extracted from the tube, it is necessary only to turn the handle 5 in the opposite direction a'partial revolution for loosening the convolutions of the rolled up tube from the arbor. The arbor is then withdrawn by means of the handle 5, permitting the tube to be easily removed and another substituted after the arbor is reinserted. 7

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and .arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular con.-'

struction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set fbrth in the appended claims.

.- Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a U- shaped support comprising a connecting portion and short brackets at the opposite ends of the connecting portion, an arbor rotatably mounted at its opposite ends on and between said brackets-and provided at one end with means for rotating the same, said brackets having longitudinal slots extending from the arbor toward the connecting portion oi the support, a shoe positioned between .the connecting portion and the arbor and provided at its opposite ends with lugs extending into said slots, said shoe being bent away from said arbor, and a-leaf .spring positioned between the shoe and the connecting portion of the support for urging the shoe toward the arbor, the ends of the spring being located by said slots.

2. In a deviceof the class described,a U- shaped support comprising a connecting portion and short brackets at the opposite ends of the connecting portion, an arbor rotatably mounted at its opposite ends on and between said brackets and provided at one end' with means for rotating the same, said brackets having longitudinal slots extending from the 

